Fake ‘Minority’ Ghana Cards Pop Up – NIA Deny Issuance

The National Identification Authority (NIA) has disassociated itself from some pictures of National ID cards purportedly issued to Minority Members of Parliament.

The NIA insists the said cards are “fake” which does not match the official cards they are issuing.

“The Authority therefore states emphatically that the said cards are fake and should be disregarded. The security, confidentiality and protection of all data in our custody therefore remains assured” a statement issued yesterday said.

“The purported Personal Identification Numbers on the cards fall completely outside the unique numbering system and scope of NIA. The pictures on the cards also don’t conform to NIA picture requirements.”

Social media has been flooded with pictures of the said Ghana Cards.

The Minority MPs have boycotted the exercise by NIA in a bid to compel the authority to accept voters’ ID as a primary document for identification for registration for the card.

The minority have also threatened to drag the Authority before the Supreme Court to demand clarity on the matter,

Currently, the law [Parliamentary Act] governing the process only permits for Passports and birth certificates as primary documents for registration.

But the statement indicated that NIA has no evidence of having registered any Minority MP nor issued a Ghana Card to any Minority MP.

It said NIA has no evidentiary basis to consider that it issued the purported Ghana Cards adding that “Neither the A.g Executive Secretary nor any NIA authorized Registration Official has anything to do with the creation and circulation of the said pictures which can only be photo-shopped”.

The statement from the NIA Corporate Affairs Department emphasized that the purported Personal Identification Numbers on the cards fall completely outside the unique numbering system and scope of NIA and that the pictures on the cards also don’t conform to NIA picture requirements.

“NIA is acutely mindful of its obligations to respect and protect the integrity of all personal data entrusted into its care by the citizenry. Effectively ensuring all-round compliance with data protection laws and policies will remain a core concern of NIA”.

The NIA stated that as a creature of statute it is determined to obey the existing laws of the country in implementing the National Identification System Project indicating that it has no need to, and will never resort to any unfair, devious and illegal methods of persuasion in its bid to get all Ghanaians to register for the Ghana Card to ensure social and economic inclusion.

“While this statement is meant to deny the Authority’s knowledge, involvement or connection with the fake cards, the Authority will soon issue a comprehensive statement covering the technical and operational processes involved in the issuance of the Ghana Card.”